The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-12-22
CHRISTMAS IN CAMP,
BREAKFAST SERVED ON TOP OF
A SHOE BOX.
A Soldier Relates the Story of Christi
mas During the War--ssCheWS of To.
baccO'' as Xmas Presents.

mas During the eWar--ssChews of To-
baccO'' as Xmas Presents.
Especial Cor STATE CHRONICLE.1
Once again comes Christmas with its
sacred associations, its halowed memories,
its delightful anticipatiOns and its precious
joys To many it comes fairy footed,
shaking delicious perfumes from silver
wings, Frightening the gloomy monotony
of life with its radiance and mlrth. 10
others with sad and leaden step it appears
"a ghost of past happiness, a reminder of
the days that are no more, of broken homes
and vanished hopes. For it is one of the
marked yet not unusual features of grief,
that it comes unbidden in times of highest
pleasure. The merriment of the banquet
is hushed by knell, and in the richest
music-that which best fills the heart
are heard the changing Of discord and the
swelling of minor strains. The heart that
has never suffered has never truly enjOy-
ed, and there is a blessed Christening of
soul and face, and a tender and chaStened
delight even in the saddest recollectlons.
But welcome the sweetest holiday OF
all the year, SO fragrant to memory, so IN
spring to hope am too devout Pres
byterian to believe that there is any war
rant in the W ord for the observance of the
25th December as the anniversary of the
birth of our Lord. That day, that hour
when the Prince of Life condesoended to
be born of woman is not told to our curl
osity or love. And though even John
Milton, independent and Puritan as he
was, sang
This is the month, and this the happy
morn,
Wherein the Son of Heavens Eternal
nf 1vaddad Nai6 and NirojD Mot her horn
Our great redemption from above did
bring,
we find it wisely hidden in Gods Reveia
tion to man. Certainly the day s not
made known, and all students of history
have learned how various have been the
conjectures and arguments, affirming one
or another date. OF this, however, a cor
respondent wrote fully and clearly year
ago. And trust | am too good Christian
not to be thankful every day that Christ
WAS BORN, and that the season of general
JOY, of the most sacred pleasures and the
sweetest happiness that earth gives is
| linked with that Name which is above
every name.
| 1t is the era of good feelings, Of ''knit-
ting severed friendship up, of thought
/ ful courtesies, of entangllng IN loves golden
/ skein the absent and far away. The tardy
message follows the swift thought, the
/ laggard deed executes the longing desire.
/ And N memory of that Gift of Heaven S
! King to man, how beautiful to bestow the
! tokens of affection and kindness. Let us
i adore the Father for Christmas. He who
/ knew what was in man and needed
not that any should testify of man" hath
/ said-and these words were not recorded
/ by the Evangelist, but are preserved to Us
! by the Apostle Paul: 1t is more blessed
/ 70 tn m
| found out but little Of life and the human
heart certainly but little Of the sweet
ness of life. who has not found it true in
his own experience.
Very pleasant is it to you in the city
who sit by the glowing CRATE, in apart
ments richly curtained and carpeted, sur
rounded by the symbols of art and lux
ury, to plan for the coming Christmas
the dainty tokens, the darling surprises
and the chattering delight of children
Very pleasant is it even for me. in front OF
roaring fire, with the ruddy lightwo0d
blaze lighting every Granny and corner OF
room with bare walls, except, that dear
familiar books look back on me as | turn
a loving glance toward them, (some OF
them covered with reproachful dust) tC
remember those who remember me, anC
cheat myself into thinking | am going tC
| surprise them.
But in this sort of idle day dreaming,
recall a Christmas spent in circumstance:
and surroundings so different that it seem:
almost that the Persian doctrine of the
transmlgratlon of souls may be true, anC
that it all happened in another state o.
existence. Let me write down these fast
fading recolections. For it is freak o
memory, that if you do not relate wha
she keeps for you, she will let it slip. AnC
| | know (from observation not experience
that if you tell the story, memory (or i'm
agination , aids in each repetition, and ;
very simple occurrence at the first, grow
in the garrulousness of age into a wonder
full event. | aver that this is the FIRs'
telling Of my story.
We were in camp near Orange Cour
House, Virginia, the winter of lS63-1S64
Our brigade, that long clung with lovin!
tenacity to the name of its honored com
mander, General Pettigrew had accepted
the name of its new Brigadier, Genera
William MacRae. The regiment to whicl
| was assigned on duty as Chaplain, il
August, 1868 (having previously served a
private for eighteen mOntns) was the Att
\. c. Regiment; Col. Sion II. Rogers wa
its first colonel, but at that time one o
the field officers, the Colonel, was at HON
on sick furlough; the Lieut.. Colonel wa
III Johnson 5 lSIdUU, one Oh tIle IulSSluS
at Gettysburg, and the Major was disable
by wound. The regiment was command
ed by the Captain of Co. F., now living i
Franklin or possibly at Wake Forest. H
and | are the sole survivors of the head
quarters mess of five. Lieut.. T. 2. Peace
Lieut. F. L. Poteat, Sergeant Maj jor Pag
being the other three, having joined th
great majority.
The camp was in a body Of fine oak tin
Der, and early in the winter there wer
many majestic monarchs of the fores
But by midwinter the exigencies of th
troops had stripped the woods, and it lool
; ed like vast, carelessly made clearing
The soldiers were quartered in rude 10
huts with earth floor, mud and stick chin
ney, and warped, poplar boards for roo
ing "a poor shelter from the winter wnt
but so much better than being in the fiel,
y Alas, even these winter quarters were lu,
: urlous and breeders perchance Of dellcac
: and fear-certainly while not engaged
=. the tramp, the scout or the battle, mt
+ had more time to think of their homes az
J their loved ones, and it was not strane
t. that yearnings to see those so dear WEI
nuickened even to pain, though never
+ believe this winter to dishonOr
u Hard by and on the other side of Il
/ road leading from Orange G. H. to Gu
s peper, along which we were camped, W:
\ a log house, more imposing and sightl
only from it's ssize-constructed as we
g the barracks and the poplar boards of Il
l. roof rivan and un6raSSad were WeiOhtt